William McGrady
William Jakodi McGrady (30 October 3243) is a State Security General officer and the Director of Field Operations within the Ministry of State Security. The second-eldest son of Shannon McGrady, he has become the standard-bearer of his family's political legacy. He has served in his current position for the past fourteen years. Prior to 3267, he was a soldier in the Imperial Army and a member of the National Humanist Imperial Labour Party. After proving himself, he received a political appointment and was rapidly promoted in the Strategic Internal Security Officer after his honourable discharge from Army s ervice, achieving the rank of Standardier. In 3270, McGrady played a critical role in the formation of the modern intelligence and national security establishment. The myriad of bureaus and agencies that dealt with intelligence operations were amalgamated into the Imperial State Security Department, and McGrady was promoted to the rank of Prefect and was appointed to be the Director of Field Operations. He was later promoted to Exarch when the ISSD was expanded as the Ministry of State Security, solidifying his position in the chain of command. He is listed as one of the wealthiest men in the Milky Way galaxy, and is often cited in news media as one of the most powerful figures of the current Galactic government, enjoying the confidence of Lord Maximilian Compton and popularity amongst members of the State Sec armed branch. Early life William McGrady was born on 30 October 3243 to Shannon McGrady, the matriarch of the Irish-American-descended McGrady political family, and her husband, asteroid and gas giant mining magnate Patrick David McGrady (nee Drake). He was raised at the family estate in the orbital habitat cluster Wallerstein. He had a troubled upbringing, being involved in several altercations at school. He attended St. Ignatius Elementary School from age 5 to 10, and the Wallerstein Catholic Academy of St. Francis and St. Claire from age 10 to 18. He held various jobs throughout his latter years in secondary education, none of them for very long. Post-education, he was hired on as a junior intern to his elder brother, John P. McGrady during the latter's term as a Councilman for the Wallerstein colonial parliament. During this time, he also enrolled for college-preparatory school. However, dissatisfied with living in his brother's shadow and eager to prove himself, he enlisted for military service in late 3262 with the illustrious Cavalry Corps before school could begin. Army service McGrady enlisted two days before his 19th birthday in October 3262. He shipped out for boot camp at Bittrich, the Inner Colonies provincial training depot on New Year's Eve. He graduated basic combat training in March and continued onto Infantry School and Harsh Environment Training until April. His first posting was a quiet garrison duty in the Outer Colonies in the 12th Guards Cavalry Division. However, starting in 3264, the 12th Guards Cavalry was deployed to the Perseid Frontier due to increased insurrectionist activity. McGrady was transferred to 1st Platoon, 505th Dragoons Battalion, which was deployed on police duty on the populated world Nausicaa. It was there that he met his eventual wife, Zenzi Rothschild. At Nausicaa, he and the other members of his squad were key to foiling the terrorist siege of the Windy Heights Academy school building. He was personally awarded the Close Combat Badge for his dispatching of several terrorists. However, the crisis was viewed as a debacle due to several dozen civilian deaths and injuries. In September 3265, the Great War began and the 12th Guards Cavalry was mobilized for immediate deployment. The division first saw action against the Soviet Republic in December as reinforcing ground forces at the battle for Kalabaska, a large, hot terrestrial planet with vital industrial infrastructure and orbital installations. Almost the entirety of 1st Platoon was wipied out in the orbital shuttle drop, with McGrady's squad being the only survivors; this earned the squad the moniker "Lonely Hearts". Their hard-fought journey to the battalion rendezvous point was only the start; over the next several months, the 505th Dragoons bitterly engaged Soviet forces across the planet's single large continent. McGrady was remarked upon in a field report by his squad leader, Staff Sergeant Edward Pepper, "He was a tough little fighter, mean as hell when he had to be." Pepper recommended him for promotion, and McGrady was duly promoted to Specialist near the end of the Army campaign to capture Kalabaska. McGrady and the 12th Guards Cavalry were garrisoned at Kalabaska from March to August 3266. For eight months afterwards, they were redeployed for policing duties on various other worlds in the end-stages of capture. In May 3267, they were deployed as part of a large task force to capture the Khoz System. Along with two Marine divisions, and another fourteen reinforcing Army divisions, the 12th Guards Cavalry were landed on the surface of Khoz Prime. The Battle of Khoz turned out to be one of the largest battles of the Great War, with Khoz Prime being the locus of the battle. The fighting lasted six months, during which the 12th Guards Cavalry at first encircled Soviet forces but then themselves became encircled. McGrady served ninety consecutive days on the front lines, earning several decorations including the Close Combat Badge in Gold, the Infantry Assault Badge, and the Bronze Star. He and the Lonely Hearts were dispatched on November 4 to re-establish communications with the 503rd Artillery Battalion. Along the way, they assisted Army forces in City Zone 231 in breaking through Soviet patrol lines. However, half of the squad died in the city, including Staff Sergeant Pepper. McGrady himself was injured along the way during an encounter with dangerous wildlife, and was further injured after the squad left the city during an engagement with enemy armored forces. With his arm broken, he was forced to recuperate upon arrival to the 503rd Battalion's headquarters. McGrady insisted on being made combat-capable, and was outfitted with a powered arm brace to allow him temporary use of his broken limb. The Lonely Hearts joined the 503rd Battalion's assault on a Soviet fortification, and McGrady again distinguished himself in combat during an infiltration of the fort's powerplant. Upon return to base on November 9, McGrady was awarded for bravery and meritorious action, earning the Silver Star and the Iron Cross. He was further decorated with three Wound Badges and recommended for discharge. McGrady was honorably discharged from Army service on November 28 3267, two days after surgery removed his damaged arm. Political career Being the son of a powerful political family, William McGrady was expected to make a political career in his adulthood. He had joined the National Humanist Imperial Labour Party at a young age, at his mother's insistence. He was part of the Wallerstein chapter of the party's youth wing until reaching 16, when he reached the age of suffrage. He voted for the National Humanist party in the 3260 Terran Imperial general election, and took a job as a junior intern for his brother's political campaign for the Provincial Parliament. After joining the Army in 3262, McGrady seemed to drop out of politics. However, during his tours of duty during the Great War, he frequently cooperated with National Humanist political officers attached to his unit. After his discharge from the Army, he came to work for the Party security bureau as a field agent under the supervision of political commissar Henry Heavenly. As the Party organization was aligned strongly with the national intelligence community, he was also employed at the Imperial Strategic Intelligence Agency. He was promoted quickly to the rank of First Spear, a senior enlisted-level rank with considerable prestige. In 3268, he was commissioned as an officer with the rank of Centurion and granted control over a section of about forty operatives, including an elite special action team that he oversaw directly. He was later promoted to the rank of Standardier due to the success of his operatives. In 3270, with the amalgamation of the various national security and intelligence agencies into the Imperial State Security Department, William McGrady was promoted to the rank of Prefect and appointed to be the managerial director of the new Field Operations Agency of the ISSD. His career in party politics came to an end with the abolition of the National Humanist party, and all other political parties, in 3275. He began in earnest his new career in government service. State Security career William McGrady had a significant role in the establishment of the modern State Security organization. In 3270, it was decided that the Party security apparatus would be aligned on a one-to-one basis with a new national security institution. That institution was first established in 3270 as the Imperial State Security Department. Compulsory Party membership was mandated for all employees at the ISSD, and equivalency of rank was established to eliminate any "grey area" between the Party and National organizations. McGrady was promoted to the rank of Prefect and appointed by Emperor Maximilian personally to be the director of the Field Operations Agency, with responsibility for pacifying occupied territories, collecting foreign intelligence, and policing the Armed Forces. The agency was referred to by Maximilian as the Empire's "political soldiers", signifying their place as an ideologically-motivated yet professional paramilitary force. By the conclusion of the Great War in 3275, McGrady had been promoted to Exarch, equivalent to an Army Chief Marshal. In the subsequent reorganization of the human Confederation into the Central Galactic Union, the ISSD became the Ministry of State Security. McGrady's Field Operations Agency was greatly expanded in its scope and size, and was given authority to govern and police the occupied territories referred to as the "New Colonies". After the revolt by remnant alien factions in 3279, McGrady's agency was given further responsibility as the highest echeleon of strategic command in the military campaign against the remnant forces. Director of Field Operations Personal life Summary of Army and State Security career Dates of rank Notable decorations